Jason F.
Yelp
Why do I find myself singing the chorus to "Chantilly Lace" as sung by The Big Bopper whenever I think of the name Gentilly? Named after a popular neighborhood in the city of New Orleans, Gentilly represents Cajun and Creole cuisine at its finest. Opened in the fall of 2019, Gentilly replaced the longstanding Doctor's Lounge with their stylish glass encased front door, one aspect that remains from their previous tenant. What brought a friend to the outer recesses of San Francisco in the Excelsior neighborhood was the fact that Gentilly was participating in San Francisco Restaurant for the Spring of 2023, in which participating restaurants offered a prefix three-course meal offered at a set price. And with Gentilly offering six menu options at a price of 45 dollars, then how can we resist? The drive out to Gentilly can be a bit far, even for those living in San Francisco, as Excelsior represents a neighborhood that is filled with a number of small independently owned restaurants and shops that cater the locals, and not necessarily considered a foodie destination to most. Thankfully Gentilly is here to change that, and with the specialty New Orleans French-inspired cuisine they serve here, they represent a destination worth trying out. Reservations for two were super easy to make via the Yelp website, despite only deciding to dine here a mere three days in advance. Since we came on a Sunday evening, parking along Mission Street was available a block away.
Upon entry through the glass door to Gentilly one will immediately think of this being a speakeasy as there was a long huge bar, long tables and multiple sofas and chairs to sit in their front room which served as their bar area. From there, the host took us beyond the kitchen and into a small room that served as their main dining room. We sat at an intimate table for two in which half of the seats are along a banquet against the wall, and the other half of your table gets to sit in chairs. The dinner menu at Gentilly is broken up into categories including Appetizers, Soup and Salads, Sandwiches and Po' Boys, Entrées, Sides, Desserts and their Kids' Menu. But we came for their three-course pre fixe meal that they were offering for San Francisco Restaurant Week. For our first course, I ordered their Pork Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms which were served in a herbed butter sauce, while my friend ordered their other offering in their Mini Crab Cakes, which were topped with a citrus aioli and served on a bed of an arugula salad. For my entrée, I opted to order their Beef Bourguignon, which was served on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes and served with Brussel sprouts. My friend ordered their Stuffed Catfish which was topped with a dill white sauce and a side of both crawfish dirty rice and green beans. For our dessert course, I ordered their Spiced Apple Galette, which was topped with a scoop of brown butter sage ice cream, caramel and lavender salt. My friend ordered their Classic Beignets which were three deep fried square shaped dough topped with confectioners sugar and served with three of their dipping sauces, which were berry, chocolate and caramel flavored.
To start our meal off right, Gentilly had a wonderful beverage menu filled with handcrafted cocktails, and I ordered their Marie Laveau, which had had earl-gray infused gin, apricot, peach, lemon and a pinch of salt, and my friend ordered their Parasol, which had mezcal, cucumber, fennel, ginger line and jalapeño garnish. As we sipped on our delightful cocktails, our appetizers were brought out and we scarfed them both down as they were some of the most tasty small bites that we have had in quite some time. Then our entrées were presented, and although they were lovingly plated, I felt that my beef was over-seasoned as it came across as a wee bit too salty on the pallet, while my friend's catfish was wonderfully seasoned with a hearty portion to boot. Finally our desserts were presented and although my galette was a wee bit undercooked, as it was hard to even put my fork through the entire crust, when combined with the ice cream and caramel topping, it was simply a decadent delight. My friend's beignets were a highlight as they were cooked to perfection as they were pillowy soft and when topped with sauces, they just added the perfect amount of sweetness. We had a wonderful time at Gentilly, as we never felt rushed and every aspect of our meal was delivered in due time. When adding in my friend's glass of red wine that they enjoyed with our entrees, our total bill came to be a little under 136 dollars, and they uniquely email you a receipt after you add in your gratuity instead of giving you a copy after your meal. Gentilly is a perfect example of a hidden gem as how often does one get to visit the Excelsior district, especially when dining on Creole cuisine? Not many in my own personal experiences, and I for one am so glad that I got to try this unique cuisine that isn't very prevalent in the city.
